tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33559206502173371492019-03-18T05:12:09.760-04:00Honey Do WoodworkingYes, Dear.Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-69752126908341231072018-06-28T15:12:00.002-04:002018-06-28T15:14:43.483-04:00On Instagram, tooBecause it takes a bit more effort to put the YouTube videos together, I've been posting some quick snapshots or videos to Instagram. You can find them at http://www.instagram.com/gildedrain
And a reminder of the YouTube playlist: Building a Timberframe House
Quick update:
The timberframe raising should be completed end of day Monday.
I'm 25% done with the kitchen cabinet faces.
I'm Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-35976805447854675582018-04-25T13:08:00.001-04:002018-04-25T13:10:54.241-04:00Building a Timberframe House (YouTube Playlist)Things have been hectic and the schedule changes daily. I'll keep trying to put these short videos together each week. The plan is to make a more comprehensive video when everything is done, but for now... this is what you get!
Building a Timberframe House YouTube Playlist
Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-7874945400212825162018-04-16T22:08:00.001-04:002018-04-16T22:08:20.047-04:00Building a Timberframe House - 1I'm going to attempt to record videos as we progress through the build. I'll get better at it as I go, but right now my attention is very focused on getting the foundation correct...not on flying smoothly. Sorry for the poor piloting skills.
We broke ground April 12th, and worked through the weekend to get this far.
Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-73404473724267166192017-12-31T13:13:00.004-05:002017-12-31T13:13:56.907-05:00Arts & Crafts Bookshelves - Complete!This project was a wedding gift for my sister-in-law and her husband. They got married in July, but I've been busy juggling the house project at the same time, so let's just call it better late than never.
This was my first keyed tenon. I had to make a 7° angle jig for a plunge router, which only served to remind me how much I dislike using routers. If I felt confident, or healthy enough (Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-57413586603229387722017-11-09T10:53:00.000-05:002017-11-09T10:55:12.174-05:00Blueprints are done!!I started drawing floor plans in September 2016.
Bought the land in December 2016.
Interviewed over 2 dozen timberframers.
Collected cost data for the entire project into a ridiculously large spreadsheet.
Collaborated with Downstream Construction in the design of a beautiful timberframe.
Modeled the entire thing in 3D.
Figured out how to turn that 3D model into 2D blueprints.
Had the Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-84296724717996331722017-07-12T12:47:00.000-04:002017-07-12T12:47:39.706-04:00Meanwhile...Work continues on my brother's house. I put together a 51" x 61" black walnut butcherblock countertop for his kitchen island.
And I've got a desk top to flatten and smooth still.
Desk Top
And as if I didn't have enough going on, my sister-in-law is getting married. I'm making her a set of Stickley reproduction bookcases.
Quartersawn White Oak
Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-22934440857910076042017-07-12T12:41:00.001-04:002017-07-12T12:41:02.854-04:00Driveway is inAfter clearing the smaller trees out, we had an excavation crew come in with the big machines to knock over the big ones, clear the area where the house is going to be, grade the driveway, and lay down some stone. This is just a construction-grade driveway for now as it's going to get dirty and muddy with all the heavy machinery rolling in when we build the house. Nothing fancy.
It feels so Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-48227212733409847932017-06-29T21:25:00.003-04:002017-06-29T21:26:02.918-04:00Progress! Sorry for the blog hiatus. I've been up to my ears in research and planning for our house project. And I've been up to my ears trying to finish up the trim carpentry on my brother's house.
Day 1: The clearing begins!
Day 2: The clearing continues!
I found the "E" tree. Now I just need to find the other letter trees to spell my last name.
Boom! Driveway Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-85014571113671139132017-03-31T15:55:00.000-04:002017-03-31T15:57:12.276-04:00We bought some trees!Apologies. I've been busy. A fellow woodworker and follower of this site politely suggested I share what's going on with the rest of my readers. (That I actually have readers still blows my mind).
TL;DR - My wife and I bought 19 acres and are planning to build a timberframe house next year. Meanwhile I am doing all of the interior window and door trim on my brother's newly built house. MySteve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-7169743981371529312016-09-11T14:49:00.001-04:002016-09-22T13:01:20.246-04:00Greenfield GuitarsSteve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-36090197080879127072016-08-27T13:51:00.000-04:002016-08-27T13:51:00.359-04:00DIY Keva Planks Complete!The finally tally is 1,212 planks, with a total cost of $120. Not too shabby.
I'm not 100% convinced I picked the right color rope. If it continues to bother me, I'll change it later.
Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-12440150920506475012016-08-10T23:49:00.002-04:002016-08-11T08:33:27.715-04:00Plank you very much.Alright. So. It turns out 1,000 of something is an exercise in tedium. It's easy to just say you're going to make 1,000 of something, but the reality of that number is lost among all the millions and billions we hear about on a daily basis.
When's the last time you did something 1,000 times, on purpose?
Step 1: Order Lumber
Dunham Hardwoods, hard rock maple, 4/4 thickness, 5" wide, 60" Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-37833670422736371372016-08-10T15:15:00.000-04:002016-08-10T15:15:17.962-04:00Branding Irons UnlimitedA couple years ago, my wife decided she wanted to buy me a custom branding iron so I can apply a maker's mark to each piece of furniture I build. It took me a really long time to figure out what I wanted my mark to be.
Here's where I ended up...
My last name is Erwin, originating from the Clan Irvine in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. The etymology reveals that it's probably from Celtic words Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-6610587199857901862016-08-09T12:58:00.000-04:002016-08-09T14:55:59.153-04:00DIY Keva PlanksMy son (Workshop Gremlin #1) is turning 4 this month. I set out to find a gift to give him on his birthday.
He has tons of toy trucks and cars, tons of LEGOs, a big bag of randomly shaped building blocks. He doesn't really need more of those, but I didn't want to buy him just another toy. I like buying him things that stimulate his brain. He's a smart kid, let's keep his brain moving.
I Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-14773547626180867352016-08-08T12:51:00.001-04:002016-08-08T12:51:21.109-04:00Moxon Vise Complete!
Pretty easy build. My dovetailed standee block jobbie works great.
Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-82513321220166261902016-06-17T15:13:00.000-04:002016-06-17T15:21:58.714-04:00Moxon Vise Support BlockMy shop is in disarray until I can offload 600+ board feet of clear white pine that's monopolizing all of my space, so I've been using this time to plan a few different projects. This time I'm working on my Moxon Vise. I've already got the Benchrafted hardware and the hard rock maple, I just need time and a plan (...and space to work).
I'm enamored with the benchtop Moxons I've seen, Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-78182900579473771142016-06-04T19:50:00.001-04:002016-06-04T19:50:56.413-04:00The Making of a ViolinThis video is too good not to share.
Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-39345449390635409012016-05-24T12:33:00.000-04:002016-05-24T12:33:51.351-04:00Arts & Crafts End Table Design
It happens every time I design something and walk away for a few months. When I finally look at the idea again, it's not quite good enough.
Make a bunch of cubic rectangles and put them together, right?
This was my first "final" draft.
My original "final" design from several months ago.
It didn't take long for me to get sick of it. It's too blocky, too thick. It needs refining.
Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-17568875963687336682016-05-03T11:57:00.001-04:002016-05-03T12:27:20.284-04:00Q&A - What would I do differently?
Round 3 of Brady Kirkwood's Q&A for the Jewelry Armoire / Lingerie Chest build he's going to undertake. He graciously agreed to let me publish his questions alongside my answers in case anyone else finds use in them.
Question #3
What would you do differently, either in the making or the design?
What would you do to make the assembly easier?
My Response:
I wrote up a "Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-38909803513406331482016-05-03T10:35:00.003-04:002016-05-10T15:41:49.333-04:00Q&A - Side Panels between Drawer Web Frames
Round 2 of Brady Kirkwood's Q&A for the Jewelry Armoire / Lingerie Chest build he's going to undertake. He graciously agreed to let me publish his questions alongside my answers in case anyone else finds use in them.
Question #2
If making the project again, would you put the panels in all the web frames between drawers or just keep them open? (you might be able to tell, I am Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-31184135092247570012016-05-02T23:48:00.000-04:002016-05-03T12:25:37.825-04:00Q&A - Drawer Slips vs. GroovesI'm gonna call this Round 1 of Brady Kirkwood's Q&A for the Jewelry Armoire/Lingerie Chest build he's going to undertake. He graciously agreed to let me publish his questions alongside my answers in case anyone else finds use in them.
From Brady:
I am very much looking forward to getting started, it might be in a few weeks that we kick this project off. I do have a few design/build Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-33661395411846379462016-04-30T23:49:00.000-04:002016-05-03T14:49:12.914-04:00The Slow Regard of Silent VisitorsI posted the Flip-Top Table project to /r/Woodworking as my first project post in that forum. Several people immediately responded with kind words and commented that they've been following this blog for years. Years?!
"WTF...seriously?"
Apparently it stopped occurring to me that this site was open to the public and it felt more like I was just speaking inside my own mind, all private like. Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-76771222729059746292016-04-02T01:03:00.000-04:002016-04-24T23:16:43.313-04:00Flip Top Table is Complete!
Final Assembly. Just need to position the top and screw on the cleats.
Let's take her for a spin!
Leg / Apron Joinery Detail
Drink the Kool-Aid! Clock your screws!
Barley says "Hi."
So that they'll know, 100 years from now, that two brothers were close.
Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-8066886002914951972016-04-02T00:57:00.001-04:002016-04-02T01:08:34.432-04:00Flip Top Finishing!
Stickley Aurora Finishing Schedule:
Sand to 120 grit
Vacuum clean
Dampen all surfaces with hot water, let dry completely
Sand to 180 grit
Vacuum clean
Flood with TransFast Aniline Dye (Antique Cherry Brown, 1 oz by weight powder to 3 quarts water)
Wipe dry, let dry completely
Aniline Dye going on
Aniline dye dries pink and chalky. Don't freak out!
8. Flood with boiled linseed Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355920650217337149.post-4664566221900488712016-04-02T00:46:00.002-04:002016-04-02T01:08:52.192-04:00Flip Top Hinge Mortises
Alright, it's not perfect, but it's as good as I can manage on this project. I'll try harder next time. And by trying harder, I mean to say, I'll try to be more patient and stop to resharpen more often and take lighter passes with the plane so I don't take off too much. These table tops are NOT perfectly flat, but they're damn close. Good enough for my brother, anyway.
Hinge mortises!Steve Erwinnoreply@blogger.com2